Guerilla Toss - Human Girl/Own Zone Single Review

Lead singer Kassie Carlson’s vocals soar over a buzz of synths and trippy effects pedals.

In my mind, Guerilla Toss are the Velvet Underground of 2020. Something about their music is so unique and so unlike any other artist I know but the main point of comparison is the density of their music. It’s what I imagine listening to a track like Venus In Furs in the 60s would’ve been like, but transposed to modern music. Don’t take my word for it alone — check out ‘Realistic Rabbit’ for a track that’ll make you question the possibilities of what music can do. Their latest release is a double single of tracks ‘Human Girl’ and ‘Own Zone’, fresh after releasing the incredible ‘What Would the Odd Do?’ EP last year and critically acclaimed 2018 album ‘Twisted Crystal’.

‘Human Girl’ sees Guerilla Toss in the comfortable funky synth territory of their more recent releases. Lead singer Kassie Carlson’s vocals soar over a buzz of synths and trippy effects pedals. And, for Guerilla Toss, this track has a really danceable vibe that veers more towards the fun than the odd. Lyrically, it sounds almost conspiracy theory-esque in content, as Carlson sings ‘Who makes the choice, Reptile?’ All the performers in this band are so incredibly tight together and this is evident both on this track and the following track.

Given the way ‘Own Zone’ start, you could be forgiven for mistaking it as some lost 80s new wave relic. This soon dissolves into some of Guerilla Toss’ most foot-stomping music to date. The chorus is almost alien, especially from some of the synths panned to the right.  Midway through the track you get some really cool digital effects that bring a robotic sound to Carlson’s vocals, reminiscent of Kraftwerk. Lyrically, the track hides some reflection within the energy of the track; Guerilla Toss write ‘I run from me’, perhaps as Carlson’s means of exploring her own demons and the way she runs from herself or from commitments. The way this track ends with its reverb-drenched guitar stabs and funky bass is also lush, bringing the single to a satisfying close.

Both these tracks are incredible, just like a lot of Guerilla Toss’ work. You can always tell the hard graft that went into the creation of their music and this only has me more excited for their next full length LP!